A Shitty School Year

Just Another Day

"Goddammit!" Nik yelled as he flew across the beautiful clearing for the second time. He volunteered to try out the new spells first, and it wasn't going too well. His water magiks wasn't working too well with the ice spell he's been trying. He landed a few feet away on his back. "Dammit all! Why can't I get this spell to work?!"

"Because you're angry instead of your normal self," I called. Derek went over and helped him up.

"What do you mean by that?" He called back. We all grouped together by the pond and discussed the outcome.

"You're turning this ice spell into a steam spell. Your anger is putting the Element of fire into this spell instead of the cool, calm, feeling of water. I think you should take a break while Alex tries his new spells. And while you and Alex work on his spells, I'm gonna help Derek on finding the Element he works best with." I had a plan of attack in my mind about how to go over the spells and the other elements of the project.

"Sounds like a plan," Alex said. I dragged the doubt-filled Derek over to the far side of the clearing sat down on the grass.

"What emotion do you feel most, anger, sadness, happiness, or calmness?" I asked Derek as he sat across from me.

"Umm... I don't know? Not usually anger..." He didn't really seem comfortable, and I felt for him.

"Don't think of this as changing the Goddess you pray to. Think of this as if your expanding your abilities. And if that's not what you're worried about, then talk to me."

"It's just that I've tried to use Elemental magiks before, but it's just never worked out." He looked disappointed in himself.

I was struggling with what I wanted to tell him to try and raise his spirits. I finally decided to talk to him about my past a little. "Well, there are reasons for why I went to a boarding school when I was younger. Especially when the boarding school is one of the top ones in the entire world." I laughed nervously as I got into one of my more sensitive topics. "When I was younger, I could actually use spells, magiks, and other things. That boarding school only accepts young spell users with strong ability. I was accepted when I was eight years old and that was four years after the abuse started in my life. My parents enrolled me in hopes of me going to boarding and leaving their house.

"I soon met Lillith, Jayce, Asher, and Emerald at the school. We were close back then, and they felt like my real family. They never cared about my appearance or how I did academically. But, every day when I went home, life got worse. I actually made my self stop using magiks and spells half-way into my first year. That was because the physical abuse started. The first time my Mum backhanded me, I stopped functioning like a normal kid.

I wiped a tear from my eye before it fell. I cleared my throat. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't limit yourself." I glanced around the clearing, avoiding his gaze. I did it again. I started talking and couldn't stop. 

"Well... I... Uh..." Derek tried to form a sentence, but couldn't.

I laughed nervously again. "Don't say anything. Just promise not to give up before you've tried." I laid back on the grass and wiped my eyes again. "Ah... well... I'm gonna leave you over here to try and figure out what Element you feel most comfortable with. Listen to your heart. Your feelings are the most important part of Elemental magiks. I'll be back, I'm gonna go check on the other guys." Derek nodded. 

I waited another minute before getting up. I walked up to Alex and Nik to see what they were doing. I was surprised when I saw them both in a heated argument. They looked like they were about to start delivering blows.

"The hell do you mean! What the fuck dude! Don't you dare ever say something like that again!" I managed to get to Alex before be landed a blow on Nik.